Foch-Gilttoyees Provincial Park and Protected Area

About This Park

Foch-Gilttoyees Park and Protected Area protects 61,183 hectares of rugged coastal and mountainous terrain, from sea level to alpine tundra. The park is nestled in the Coast Mountain Range on the north side of the Douglas Channel and it envelops a diversity of landscapes and features including pristine freshwater drainages, bordered by steep rocky slopes covered with old-growth forests, numerous waterfalls, tidal estuaries, unique tidal narrows, and a windswept coastline. Snow-covered peaks, glacial tarns, cirque basins, and receding glaciers cap the park. In conjunction with Gitnadoiks River Park and Protected Area to the north, Foch-Gilttoyees completes a contiguous protected area corridor between the Douglas Channel and the Skeena River.

Park Size: 61,183 hectares (61,089 ha for the Park and 94 ha for the Protected Area)

Stay Safe:

There are no developed trails at this park. Please obey posted signs.
Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
Exercise caution and good judgement when considering boating through the tidal narrows at entrance to Foch Lagoon. The best time to make this passage is during slack tide.
Jet boat access up Foch River is very limited due to rocks.
Jet boat access up Gilttoyees Creek is possible to about 2.5 km west of Peechugh Creek.

Location and Maps

Foch-Gilttoyees Park and Protected Area is located roughly 33 km southwest of Kitimat on the west side of Douglas Channel. Access is by boat only. Use Marine Chart #3743 (Douglas Channel) and NTS Map Sheets # 103 H/14,15 & 103 I/2,3. The closest communities to this park are Kitimat, and Kitamaat Village.

Visitor Information Centre:

Kitimat Visitor Information Centre
PO Box 214
2109 Forest Avenue
Kitimat, BC, Canada V8C 2G7
http://www.tourismkitimat.ca/
e-mail: info@tourismkitimat.ca
ph: 250 632-6294 or 1-800-664-6554

Maps and Brochures

Any maps listed are for information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

Park Map [PDF 641KB]
Protected Area Map [PDF 173KB]

Nature and Culture

History - Foch-Gilttoyees was designated as a Class A provincial Park on May 20, 2004 following recommendations from the Kalum Land and Resource Management Plan. The Protected Area portion was designated a year later on March 22, 2005. Drum Lummon Mines and Paisley Point Mines established mineral claims north of Drumlummon Bay in the early 1920’s for extraction of copper, gold and silver. Some mineral claims still exist in this area (adjacent to the north side of the Protected Area) but are excluded from the Park.
Cultural Heritage - Foch-Gilttoyees contains part of a historical First Nations travel route between the Douglas Channel and the Skeena River (the remainder of the route is in Gitnadoiks River Park).
Conservation - Foch Lagoon is one of the largest and most remote lagoons on the BC coast. It includes a highly productive and unique tidal narrows at its entranceway. Because of the heavy tide influence in the narrows the oceanic productivity in this area is very high compared to the rest of the Douglas Channel. The kelp beds that are found in this area support nurseries for a wide array of sea life.
Wildlife - Foch – Gilttoyees protects a regionally significant estuary complex at the north end of the Gilttoyees Inlet. The Gilttoyees Creek and Peechugh Creek estuary is notable for its well-developed inter-tidal flats and relatively under-developed mud flats. Salt-water marsh and meadow communities dominate the inter-tidal flats. The estuary has very high wildlife values, particularly over-wintering habitat for the Blue-listed Trumpeter Swan, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, Surf Scoter, Long-tailed duck and Western Grebe.

Management Planning

Management Planning Information

Online Management planning information for this park is not available at this time.

Activities Available at this Park

Canoeing

Both Foch Lagoon and Gilttoyees Inlet are scenic, sheltered bodies of water. Boaters should be aware that entry into Foch Lagoon involves passing through tidal rapids and should only be attempted at slack tide. Also, access to the area is via Douglas Channel which is frequently rough and unsuited to small boats.

Climbing

There are opportunities for climbing amongst the rocky walls, peaks and glaciers of Foch-Gilttoyees Park. Access is challenging as there are no trails in the park. There are spectacular granite walls along the sides of Gilttoyees Creek and valley.

Fishing

There are opportunities for salmon and trout fishing in Foch River and Gilttoyees Creek. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.

Hunting

Hunting is permitted in the park during lawful hunting season. Check Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis.

Scuba Diving

There are SCUBA diving opportunities in the park, particularly near the entrance to Foch Lagoon and the tidal narrows.

Swimming

Swimming is possible in the lakes, lagoon and ocean, but the water is cold all season long. There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.

Facilities Available at this Park

Cabins / Huts / Yurts

There are 2 cabins in the park for public use. They are trapper's cabins built by the Haisla First Nation and are available for public use. Each cabin is 15’ x 12’ with double bunk beds and a small wood stove. There is sheltered boat anchorage near both cabins. The cabins are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Be prepared to sleep outside if the cabins are full.
The first cabin is located at the north end of Gilttoyees Inlet and the UTM coordinates are: Zone 09U; 5971320 m North; 0500850 m East.
The second cabin is located on the west side of Drumlummon Bay and the UTM coordinates are: Zone 09U; 5957089 m North; 0497947 m East.
Both Haisla cabin sites have a fire ring and adjacent small fresh water stream. The Gilttoyees cabin burned down in August 2010 and was rebuilt by the Haisla in the summer of 2012. Please exercise caution with fires at these cabin sites and completely extinguish all fires before leaving.

Campfires

Please Conserve Firewood. Limited burning hours may be in effect at some parks and fire bans may be implemented during extremely hot weather conditions. No firewood available. While campfires are allowed in this backcountry area, we encourage visitors to use campstoves for cooking purposes. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don't gather wood for fires from the area unless required for emergency situations. Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.

Walk-In/Wilderness Camping

Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided.

Winter Camping

There is winter camping in the park. The park is accessible year round.